Suspected Khalistani terrorist killed in blast in Amritsar
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Chandigarh (PTI): A suspected Khalistani terrorist died in a blast while retrieving explosive material from a vacant area on the Majitha road bypass in Punjab's Amritsar on Tuesday, police said.
The intensity of the explosion, which took place around 9:30 am, was such that both arms of the man were blown off.
Deputy Inspector General (Border Range) Satinder Singh said the man is suspected to have links with some terror organisation like Babbar Khalsa International (BKI).
The man came here to retrieve the explosive material and thereafter, the blast took place, he said.
"The explosive material was in his hands when the blast took place," Singh told reporters in Amritsar.
"We are investigating his identity and the terror organisation he belonged to," he said.
Replying to a question, the DIG said the man was yet to be identified.
"As per circumstantial evidence, it is clear that this man was a member of some terrorist organisation," Singh said, adding police got some vital clues from the man's pocket which indicated his links with some terror outfit.
A team of Forensic Science Laboratory is investigating to find out whether it was an IED (improvised explosive device) blast or grenade blast.
Amritsar Rural Senior Superintendent of Police Maninder Singh said the man was retrieving some explosive material when the blast happened, possibly due to mishandling.
Locals reported hearing a loud blast followed by a panic in the area, which has since been cordoned off by police.
The DIG appealed to people not to panic, saying "we will soon trace this case".
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Palakkad: Hotel owners hold protest march against gas price hike
Palakkad (Kerala) (PTI): Hotel and restaurant owners on Saturday held a protest march in Palakkad against the recent nearly Rs 1,000 hike in commercial gas cylinder prices.
The protesters marched through the town holding placards and images of gas cylinders. They also carried two cylinders on a stretcher with a wreath placed on top, according to visuals aired on television channels.
The hotel and restaurant owners contended that it would be difficult for them to sustain their businesses in view of the high cost of commercial gas cylinders.
They said that many of them had been forced to shut their establishments earlier due to the scarcity of commercial gas cylinders, and that most had only recently reopened.
“But the sudden increase in commercial gas cylinder prices has affected our operations,” the protesters said.
Similar concerns were raised by restaurant owners and workers from other parts of the state in response to queries from reporters.
The Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association had on Friday announced a statewide protest strike on May 6 against the Rs 993 hike in commercial LPG cylinder prices.
KHRA state president G Jayapal said that all hotels and restaurants across Kerala would remain shut on that day in protest against what he termed an “unfair” increase in LPG prices.
He added that over the past five months, the price of a single cylinder had increased by a total of Rs 1,498.
On May 6, establishments will remain closed, and protest marches and dharnas will be held in front of district headquarters and oil company offices, he said.
